Leah Tyman (The Perfect Wife)
Leah Tyman, also known as 'Liza Steward '(Shannon Sturges), is the main villainess of the 2001 Lifetime film The Perfect Wife (airdate May 21, 2001). Backstory Not much is revealed about Leah’s past, but as shown in numerous flashbacks, she grew very close to her younger brother Ruben. She also grew up with a stepfather who often threw emotional abuse at Ruben for his interest in art over sports. One flashback shows Leah threatening to kill her stepfather if he ever hurt Ruben. When Ruben was hit and killed by a drunk driver, Leah was devastated and turned vengeful when she learned that the doctor who responded to the accident, Robert Steward, chose to save the driver over Ruben. Leah began her quest for revenge by attempting to kill the drunk driver, Felicia Laurel, by turning off her respirator after ranting about how she was “a piece of trash” that didn't deserve to live while her brother (who she viewed as “one of God’s chosen”) died. Her act of murder was foiled, however, when a nurse started to enter the room, forcing Leah to turn the machine back on. She moved on to Robert by approaching him at a social function under the false name Liza, eventually romancing him into a whirlwind marriage. Events At the beginning of the movie, it is later revealed that Leah had fully manipulated Robert into falling in love with her, but had earned the ire of his maid Greta and ex-wife Helen. She is also shown to keep a box full of rose petals and photographs of the deceased Ruben. She also expressed to Robert a desire to have children, despite secretly taking birth control. As part of her revenge scheme, Leah got a job at Robert’s office after murdering his original assistant Nora. When Leah realized that Greta had opened her secret box (having noticed a dropped rose petal on the floor by it), she framed her for trying to steal her jewelry and fired her. Later on, she devised a plot to destroy Robert’s business and his reputation by drugging his brother and fellow doctor Brad (a recovering drug addict) right before an appointment with regular patient (and former science teacher to both Brad and Robert) Orville Gleason. She then delivered his medication to his home, having altered the label so he wouldn’t see that it contained digitol, a chemical that the man was allergic to. She then stayed and watched as Orville had an allergic reaction and died, telling him that she was doing it because in her mind, Robert was a “murderer,” and added that he would get to be with his deceased wife now. She took the sticker she had used to alter the medicine off and, having forged Brad’s signature on a faked prescription, set him up to look like he had started using again and had caused Orville’s death. Before the case could go to trial, though, Leah gave the bedridden Brad oatmeal poisoned with morphine, revealing her evil nature and vendetta against Robert as the poison took effect. When Helen arrived, having made plans with Brad earlier, Leah went to the door to stop her before Brad staggered into view. Before he could reveal anything about Leah, however, he fell down the stairs and broke his neck. At Brad’s funeral, Leah was suddenly confronted by Felicia Laurel, who had tracked Leah down to blackmail her with the fact that she had attempted to kill her; she threatened to expose her secret to Robert if she didn’t pay her $100,000 in two days. Leah agreed, with Helen witnessing her argument with Felicia. The two women agreed to meet at a park for the money exchange, but Leah had other plans all alone, as she had broken into Felicia’s car and hid there until she returned, killing her with a lethal injection of potassium cyanide once she did so. Leah then started the final phase of her plan that night by having wine with Robert, drugging his glass. She then duct taped his hands to his car’s steering wheel, planning to murder him via carbon monoxide poisoning. The vengeful villainess ranted to Robert about how he had let her brother die, with the woozy Robert repeatedly saying he had done the right thing, before leaving him to perish. As Robert struggled to free himself, Helen (having uncovered Leah‘s villainous secrets) arrived at the house and confronted Leah, leading to a struggle between them. Robert freed himself by driving the car through the garage doors, distracting Leah so Helen could hit her with a lamp. Leah fled the scene and Helen tended to Robert. Some time later, the reconciled Robert and Helen were at a cabin sharing wine when Leah suddenly appeared, brandishing a gun. Robert attempted to assuage the psychotic Leah by saying that there was nothing he could’ve done to save Ruben, but Leah refused to believe him and began firing at Robert, with a bullet grazing his side. Helen then tackled Leah and they struggled over the gun until it went off, causing the villainess to be accjetnallt shot. Robert tended to Leah’s wound and, when asked by Leah why he didn’t let her die, he replied, “Because I'm a doctor.” It can be assumed Leah was arrested offscreen for her villainy. Trivia *Shannon Sturges appeared as Helena Statler in the 1999 episode "Which Prue is It, Anyway?" for the TV series Charmed. Gallery Leah Tyman sensing.png|Leah sensed Ruben's accident... Leah Tyman heartbroken.png|....and was heartbroken upon seeing him dead... Leah Tyman vengeance.png|...but her sadness turned to vengeance when she learned Doctor Robert Steward had failed to save Ruben. Leah Tyman rant.png|Leah ranting to Felicia Laurel, the drunk driver that hit Ruben, before trying to kill her. Leah Tyman Liza Steward.jpg|Leah, now under her new name Liza... Leah Tyman Robert.png|...and with her new husband, who is none other than Robert Steward. Leah Tyman Robert bed.png|Leah and Robert in bed together Leah Tyman kill Nora.png|Leah murdering Nora, Robert's assistant Leah Tyman framing.png|Leah framing Greta for thievery after she snooped through her things Leah Tyman Orville Gleason.png|Leah as she let patient Orville Gleason die... Leah Tyman Brad.png|...as well as Robert's brother Brad. Leah Tyman Felicia Laurel.png|Leah being confronted and blackmailed by Felicia Laurel... Leah Tyman kill Felicia Laurel.png|...and later killing her in her car. Leah Tyman drugged Robert.png|Leah drugging Robert for the final part of her psychotic scheme Leah Tyman captive Robert.png|Leah ranting to a bound Robert about her brother’s death Leah Tyman catfight.png|Leah during her catfight with Robert’s ex-wife Helen Leah Tyman flees.png|Leah fled the scene after being defeated... Leah Tyman returns with gun.png|...but returned later on to finish her scheme. Leah Tyman and Helen.png|Leah getting into another catfight with Helen... Leah Tyman shot.png|...before accidentally being shot in the stomach, thus signaling her defeat. Category:2000s Category:Alias Category:Attempted Murder Category:Blonde Category:Bondage Used By Villainess Category:Catfight Category:Deceiver Category:Hero's Lover Category:Knife Category:Live Action Villainess Category:Master Manipulator Category:Murderer Category:Murder: Bludgeoning Category:Murder: Poison Category:Pistol Category:Sibling Category:The Vamp Category:Fate: Arrested Category:Serial Killer